Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

इंद्रनीलद्युतिःश्रीमान्पुंडरीकोत्तमेक्षणः । सुवर्णाकृति सुच्छाय दुकूलयुगलावृतः

Transliteration

iṃdranīladyutiḥśrīmānpuṃḍarīkottamekṣaṇaḥ | suvarṇākṛti succhāya dukūlayugalāvṛtaḥ

Translation

Il resplendissait de l’éclat de l’indranīla (saphir), comblé de fortune et de beauté ; ses yeux étaient comme le lotus le plus parfait. D’une forme d’or et d’un teint lumineux, il était vêtu d’une paire d’étoffes fines.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रनीलद्युतिः: sapphire-lustrous
• इन्द्रनीलद्युतिः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रनील + द्युति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्द्रनीलद्युतिः = ‘having sapphire-like lustre’ (उपमान-तत्पुरुष)

• श्रीमान्: splendid, glorious
• श्रीमान्: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्यय (possessive)

• पुण्डरीक-उत्तम-ईक्षणः: lotus-eyed (with excellent lotus-like eyes)
• पुण्डरीक-उत्तम-ईक्षणः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्डरीक + उत्तम + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; compound meaning ‘having eyes like the best lotus’ (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय sense)

• सुवर्णाकृतिः: golden-formed
• सुवर्णाकृतिः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण + आकृति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सुवर्णाकृति = ‘golden in form’ (तत्पुरुष)

• सुच्छायः: radiant, fair-shining
• सुच्छायः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having good radiance/complexion’

• दुकूलयुगलावृतः: clad in a pair of fine cloths
• दुकूलयुगलावृतः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुकूल + युगल + आवृत (√वृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘covered with a pair of fine garments’ (षष्ठी/तृतीया-तत्पुरुष sense)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant divine Person with sapphire-like luster and lotus eyes, golden-bodied, wearing two fine garments; the aura suggests auspicious sovereignty and gentle compassion.

Characters & Entities

• The manifested Person (described)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine manifests with auspicious beauty, indicating inner sattva and cosmic sovereignty expressed outwardly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī as preserved in Kāśīkhaṇḍa; the verse itself focuses on divine appearance rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an iconographic description supporting contemplative devotion (darśana).